I know I risk the wrath from many of the contributors to this forum by using the word Tyco in my post. Anyway, I am in the process of upgrading my rolling stock by adding Kadee couplers and metal wheels. I have been trying different types. So far I have tried: Intermountain (both ball bearing and non-ball bearing types), Branchline, and P2K. I have not yet tried the Rebox. At this point, the Intermountain (ball bearing) type is my favorite. But at $20 for ten sets, they are too expensive. I will settle on the Intermountain (non-ball bearing).
I have a few pieces of Tyco rolling stock that are serviceable, but I cannot find any wheel sets that fit their trucks (The axles are to long, and therefore bind). Are there any metal replacements out there that fit the Tyco truck?
I checked out the Reboxx application list and Tyco isn’t listed. What you need to do is measure the axles with a VERNIER CALIPER and look for that size on the Reboxx chart.
If you don’t want to invest in or are unable to barrow a vernier caliper, order Reboxx 33" wheelset # 33-1-0.950 (replacement for the Atlas Bettendorf 50 ton truck) to see if that will fit. It has the shortest axle listed. Or if you already have an Atlas car with the 50 ton Bettendorf truck, use those for comparison.
Don’t knock Tyco, Bachmann, Life Like, model power or whatever. Would you rather learn how to remove paint from a $2 model or a $20 model?
here’s what you do…first, body mount the Kadee couplers and throw away the old tyco trucks…now, purchase two sets of styrene tubing, (one - a 3/8" and the other a -1/8", )
some CA glue, a 2-56 screw tap (Kadee sells them) and some 2-56 screws (I like the tapered kind with the phillips head heads)
now, turn the car upside down and drill out the holes where the trucks went with a bit the size of the 3/8" tubing…insert the tubing and cut it off flush with the original height of the hole with a razor saw…now insert the 1/8" tubing inside of the 3/8" piece and cut it off flush as you did with the 3/8" piece of tubing…(file the cuts being careful that you don’t take out the original height of the bolster hole smooth with a jeweler’s file) now, glue both styrene tubes in place into the car’s body with the CA glue and let it dry…once the glue dries, take the 2-56 tap in a pin vise, and tap out threads into the inside 1/8" tubing…mount the truck, put the 2-56 screw in the hole and tighen the new truck down into the 1/8" threaded tubing until there is a bit of play back and forth and side to side…if the kadee coupler doen’t line up correctly , then if the coupler is too high, shim the coupler with sheet styrene plastic under the draft gear box, and if the coupler is too low, then make a shim with sheet styrene plastic by drilling a hole in it and trimming the sides around the hole, remove the truck, place the shim between the car body and the truck and retighten the 2-56 screw…if you use this method then you should have no problems choosing which trucks to buy and install…I just got through doing over 20 old tyco cars using this method of mounting the trucks…chuck
being down under we went metric a few decades ago, so I could be wrong with my measurements, but 3/8" is around 10mm and 1/8" is about 3mm, so how does the 1/8 fit tightly in the 3/8?. [:I]
Did you say you had tried the LL P2k metal wheels? I have used these to replace the wheelsin Tyco trucks, but I may have modified the truck by drilling into the journal from the axle side with a small drill bit. They also make a tool to ream the journal out, but I have had success using the drill bit or even a tapered #2 exacto. Anyway I found this easier and cheaper than replacing the whole truck. MBKlein sells a dozen P2K wheelsets for $3.99. I throw some rust colored weathering powder on the sideframes and let 'em roll.
Tweet469, I was wondering if drilling out the sideframes like you describe would work with MicroMark’s truck reaming tool? I don’t have one yet, but it sounds possible.
Some early Tyco stuff had axles that were more like wire than axles and I have never found replacements. The only way is to chuck the trucks as already suggested.
ort007
Yes, I believe the tool you are talking about will work. I just had been using a drill bit because they had not came out with the tool at the time. If I run up on one of these reamers at a show or LHS, I’ll probably buy it just for the convenience. I have not seen one and don’t want to pay more for shipping than the tool cost.
As I stated on another thread, there are Tyco units that many modelers will agree have potential. The GP20’s shell and the 50ft. wooden deck flat car being two examples.
I’m very familiar with Tyco freight car trucks. The journal boxes are quite oversized and unrealistic.
CWClark has given you the best way to go!
Consider purchasing a pair of P2K replacement truck sets. Much better performers and they look more realistic. I think the cost is about $4.00 for a pack of two.
I modified a Tyco 50 ft. flat car in a similar way and it worked out well. I wanted to save it since it was part of a Tyco train set my late father bought me back in 1973.
Remove the Tyco truck and throw it as far as you can.
Press a solid plastic rod with some C/A into the old hole in the Tyco car.
Drill and tap a 2-56 hole in the center of the rod.
Glue an upper lid from a #5 Kadee box over the hole.
Depending on the era, attach either Athearn Bettendorf or Roller Bearing trucks with a 2-56 screw.
You will now have the same basic setup that Athearn has used.
I’ve used short piece of Plastruct tubing in each truck mounting hole in a Tyco flat car and thread withh a 4-40 tap the inside of of the tubing. Then mount my favorite truck on to it with short cap head screws.
Wow, this old post is almost a year old and is still floating around. I did find a way to get the IM wheel sets to fit into the tyco trucks. I took a fine stone (one used to sharpen a knife) and gently removed the sharp point from the end of each axle. They worked fine after this
Addressing the original poster’s concern over being chastised for having Tyco models on his pike, I have collected close to 500 cars in 35 years of Model Rauilroading on a limited fixed income. I have some nice equipment along with many RTR trainset cars. I use Kadee’s and metal wheels on my rolling stock along with weathering and a few added details. Its almost impossible to pick out the cheaper cars in a ten track yard or a priority freight making up time. If your wheels and couplers are guaged correctly and the weight is in spec, derailments are rare(usually operator error). You do not have to spend a fortune to enjoy MRRing. People ask me how much I have in my layout. I estimate around $5,000.00 which seems steep, but thats over a 35 year period and includes a Digitrax Radio equipped DCC system. I’m putting the finishing touches on one of my first locos, a diecast boiler Mantua Pacific. It was literally worn out. One of the side rods had worn thru on one end. I repowered it with a Helix Humper replacement, new running gear and DCC. I have around 50 bucks in the rebuild. I could probably have gotten a new one for that but I got sentimental(or maybe just mental).
I’ve known modelers who’ve taken old Life Like, Bachmann, and Tyco frieght cars that looked decent and made them appear just as good as an Athearn RTR or P2K.
The flat car I mentioned above is the only piece I have left from the trainset my Dad bought me years in 73. I realize now that I could have spruced up the F9B shell as well as a the cupola caboose. The little Freight Station in that set also had great potential and with some weathering and detailing could have easily blended in with Walthers Cornerstone kits! I could just knock myself in the head sometimes. As always, hindsight is 20/20!
There have been loads of past MRR issue articles where modelers have turned cars and structrures like these into show stoppers.